HORROR IN KENT - BOYFRIEND OF MOTHER OF 2 WHO FLED TO GHANA DECLARED WANTED AFTER 3 DECOMPOSING BODIES WERE FOUND IN GARDEN.

Wanted - Arthur Simpson Kent

The boyfriend of a missing ex-EastEnders actress who is being hunted after three bodies were found in her back garden has reportedly fled to Africa.

Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, is being sought by police after his partner Sian Blake and their two young sons - Zachary, eight, and Amon, four - disappeared three weeks ago.

Yesterday, three partially decomposed bodies were found buried in the back garden of Ms Blake's home in Erith, Kent, and police issued fresh calls for the whereabouts of Mr Simpson-Kent.

Ms Blake - Missing

However, last night it was claimed he had fled to Ghana as police face further questions over how they failed to find the three bodies during their 20-day search for the mother-of-two and her children.

Mr Simpson-Kent's ex-wife Dominique Deblieux last night accused him of 'dealing in cocaine' as a source said he fled to Ghana just days before Christmas.

Ms Deblieux told The Sun: 'He smoked cocaine on many occasions and dealt a little in it too. I'm wondering now whether drugs lie behind what he is supposed to have done in England.'

Missing - Zachary (8) & Amon (4)

She claimed that Mr Simpson-Kent has eight children by various different partners, adding: 'Our marriage was a waste of time. We didn't get on and he was violent man towards me.

'He also beat his own daughter Isis. He really didn't care for his daughter at all.'

Meanwhile, a source told the newspaper that Mr Simpson-Kent travelled to Ghana via Glasgow and Amsterdam, adding that 'Interpol have been informed and there is an alert out to find him.'

Police have now spoken to neighbours and carried out 'cell-site' analysis on his mobile phone to piece together his movements.

Three decomposing bodies were found in the garden behind the Bungalow

They are also examining claims that he was spotted clearing out the house in Erith with bin-liners before he disappeared.

Detectives are trying to establish whether there had been any sudden change to the family's circumstances in the weeks before they disappeared.

Eldest son Zachary, eight, was no longer taken to school by his parents, a neighbour claimed. The neighbour said the younger son should have started school but did not seem to go to classes. 

Three decomposing bodies were found in the garden behind the Bungalow

Officers are now facing serious questions over why they did not find the bodies - believed to be those of Ms Blake and her children - when they visited the family's bungalow on December 18.

They broke a window to get in, but found nothing. The case has been referred to Scotland Yard's Directorate of Professional Standards, which will investigate the way officers handled the inquiry.

It will focus on why it took so long to find the bodies and why it took more than two weeks to issue a missing persons appeal for Ms Blake, 43 – who was seriously ill with motor neurone disease.

Neighbours said Ms Blake, who played home-wrecker Frankie Pierre in the BBC soap in the mid-1990s, appeared thin and frail, and feared her health was deteriorating rapidly.

She and her sons had last been seen during a visit to relatives in Leyton, East London, on December 13, and neighbours reported seeing her loading bags into the boot of her car. 

Three days later, after an organisation raised the alarm, police spoke to Mr Simpson-Kent at the family home. After this, Ms Blake and the children were officially registered as missing.

Texts sent from Ms Blake's phone said she wanted to be alone with her children for her last Christmas. She may have been under the impression that this Christmas was her last.

Mr Simpson-Kent, 48, a hairdresser in the fashion industry, was classed as a 'high-risk missing person' when police could not get hold of him. 

Officers made almost daily door-to-door inquiries with neighbours – with one telling them that they spotted Mr Simpson-Kent removing full bin-liners from the bungalow.

However, it took police more than two weeks to issue a public appeal for information relating to the whereabouts of Ms Blake and the boys. No mention of Mr Simpson-Kent was made in the first appeal but it was reported last night that he had fled to Ghana days after being last seen on December 16. Detectives are now thought to be picking their way through Mr Simpson-Kent's tangled past. 

The hairdresser was born Norman Simpson-Kent in Hounslow, West London, but changed his name to Arthur. On his business website, he claims to have worked as a hairdresser for Versace, Armani and Chanel. In 1999, he married French national Dominique Deblieux in east London and they had a daughter who is thought to be 16 years old. Mother and daughter moved to France when the couple split up. Detective Superintendent Paul Monk, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: 'We continue to appeal for any information that could help us trace Sian's partner Arthur Simpson-Kent.  'If anyone has any information about where he is or his movements since December 16 then please get in touch with us. 'This is now a murder investigation and as such I'd urge anyone who can help our investigation to contact us.'  Bexley Council declined to comment on claims the children had not been attending school. 

The murder squad took over the investigation on Monday after Ms Blake's silver Renault Scenic was found in Bethnal Green, East London. It was also the first time that police had put out an appeal for the whereabouts of Mr Simpson-Kent.

Last night, Ms Blake's family lit candles outside their East London terraced home and were being comforted by friends and other relatives. Neighbours said the former soap star had been taken to hospital on several occasions before her disappearance but added that the family appeared to be looking forward to Christmas and had put up a tree in the lounge.

One neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'I feel disgusted that this has happened. I was here when the police came on the 16th. 'They came back every day since, knocking on the door, asking people questions. 'They broke a window at one stage and got in the house to look around and [yesterday] they did the same but this time they've obviously found something. Sian was lovely. She was a really great neighbour.'

John Waterhouse, 65, a Thames waterman, said Miss Blake appeared withdrawn in recent weeks. 'It's terrible news, just terrible,' he said. Sammy Sanni-Alashe, 52, said: 'I can't believe this news. She always used to be playing in the garden with the children. I can't believe someone would do this to them.' Police officers were seen entering the bungalow, which Ms Blake and Mr Simpson-Kent bought in 2011, with spades yesterday morning and later three bodies were carried out in coffins.

Detective Superintendent Paul Monk said: 'As yet, we have not formally identified the bodies but this is of course a significant development and Sian's family have been informed. Our thoughts are with Sian's family.'

Scotland Yard said the case had not been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The case follows that of Tia Sharp, 12. Met officers twice missed her body, hidden in the attic, when they searched the house of killer Stuart Hazell in South London, in 2012.

Ms Blake used the stage name Syan Blake and her big acting break came when she landed the role of Frankie Pierre in June 1996.

Her character frequently pursued attached men. She left the soap the following year because of hostility from viewers over her manipulative character. She appeared in episodes of The Bill, Casualty, Doctors and Skins, as well as in stage roles, before becoming a sign language teacher.

EastEnders actress Gemma McCluskie, 29 – who played Kerry Skinner – was murdered in March 2012. Her brother Tony McCluskie was jailed for life. 

TIMELINE: HOW EVENTS UNFOLDED 

December 13: Sian Blake was last seen loading bags into the boot of her car near her mother's home in Leyton with her sons Zachary, eight, and Amon, four, according to neighbours.

December 14:  Neighbours claimed her partner Arthur Simpson-Kent returned to her family home in Erith, Kent.

December 16: Ms Blake and her family were reported missing to police. Officers spoke to Mr Simpson-Kent, who has not been seen since. Police earlier said that he was not a suspect in the case but launched an appeal to find him.

December 18: Neighbours claimed police broke into the family home in Erith after vsiting it every day

December 19: He was described as a 'high-risk missing person' to the public by police.

December 31: Officers launch missing people's appeal through media.

January 3: Ms Blake's car is found silver Renault Scenic - registration number SM54 FUO - was found abandoned in Calvert Avenue, Bethnal Green, east London.

January 4: Police announce that homicide detectives have taken over the investigation

January 5:  Forensics arrive at the family home in Erith, Kent. They dig up the back garden and discover three bodies.